300+ Hypothyroidism Symptoms…Yes REALLY

Who knew that little butterfly-shaped thyroid gland at the base of our necks could affect our lives so completely? Don’t underestimate the power of that little gland. It is the master control center for the metabolic functions of every single cell in your body. Therefore it has the power to disrupt every part of your body and to produce profound changes in every aspect of your life. Scientific research links hypothyroidism to heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, gall bladder disease, liver disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s. According to the World Health Organization, there are 750 million people in the world with thyroid dysfunction. Over half are presumed to be unaware of their condition. Despite research connecting an underactive thyroid to some of the deadliest diseases of our time, the hypothyroidism epidemic sweeping across the globe has gone largely unrecognized by the mainstream medical community. Are you sure you are ready for this long pathetic list of symptoms?

One of my readers contacted me with the following question. The question was so important that it had me thinking and thinking about how best to address it. Thank you Yipsy for contacting me. Yes chronic urticaria (hives) is one of the hundreds of potential hypothyroidism symptoms. I hope this post answers your question.

Hi Dana – 6 months ago, I started having hives every night. Blood tests and research on web have not yielded any help. I read some of the info on your blog. After google thyroid and hive, I found some potential linkage between my condition and Thyroid. I appreciate if you can share symptoms that link to Hypothyroid on your website so that people know what to look for. Thank you for raising the awareness. Article from About.com Allergies: “Got Hives? Get your thyroid checked!” http://allergies.about.com/b/2007/10/02/got-hives-get-your-thyroid-checked.htm

Best,

Yipsy

My hope is that this post finds the millions of people worldwide who are not aware of their condition. They are suffering from multiple health complications but they have no clue their thyroid is to blame. Their doctors are prescribing medication after medication for illnesses that could be treated by addressing the underlying hypothyroidism. It is a tragedy.

Then there are those who have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and treated with thyroid replacement medication, however they still suffer from many of the symptoms on this list. Their doctors have no idea the real reason for their ill health is the improperly treated hypothyroidism. They too are being prescribed multiple medications for conditions that could be treated by proper thyroid treatment. Others are mistakenly considered hypochondriacs and prescribed sleeping pills and anti-depressants by their doctors. Others are told their symptoms are just part of normal aging and shrugged off as unimportant. Doctors are relying solely on laboratory tests for diagnosis, not investigating fully the patient’s medical history, symptoms, family history and thorough physical exams. Does this sound like you? It may be time to change doctors.

The following individuals and organizations are some of the top thyroid health experts in the world. My list of 300+ symptoms is a compilation of their lists of hypothyroid symptoms along with additional symptoms I have found in my research.

Thank you to Dr. Mark Starr for the comprehensive list of hypothyroidism symptoms in his book Hypothyroidism Type 2: The Epidemic. Thank you to thyroid pioneer Dr. Broda Barnes for his thorough description of symptoms in the legendary book Hypothyroidism: The Unsuspected Illness. Thank you to thyroid patient advocate Mary Shomon for her extensive list of hypothyroidism symptoms in her book Living Well with Hypothyroidism: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Tell You…That You Need to Know. Thank you Janie Bowthorpe for her Long and Pathetic List of Symptoms. Thank you also to Thyroid UK for providing great resources.

Every person will present with a different combination of symptoms. The severity of each person’s hypothyroidism will also determine the severity and number of symptoms they experience. Untreated hypothyroidism worsens with age with worsening symptoms. Don’t be led to believe that symptoms from this list are not connected to hypothyroidism, because they may be in your case, even if your doctor doesn’t know it.

Do you suffer from any of these symptoms?

Are you prescribed medications for symptoms listed below? Are you sure your doctor is aware of the connection of these symptoms to hypothyroidism?

Are you being treated with thyroid replacement medication but still suffering symptoms?

Do you have a family history of thyroid disease, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, cancer and/or Alzheimer’s? Please read on.

The Unbelievably Long List of Hypothyroidism Symptoms

Energy Level and Sleep:

Chronic fatigue
Less stamina than others
Long recovery period after any activity
Inability to concentrate
Sleep apnea
Snoring
Insomnia
Need naps in the afternoon
Weakness
Wake feeling tired
Frequently oversleep